Metallic railroad-sleeper



H. G. DAVIS. METALLIC RAILROAD SLEEPER.

No. 500,473. Patented June 27, 1893.

Ill-IL \K/I NEEIEE 'view of one end of the sleeper.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HENRY G. DAVIS, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

METALLIC RAILROAD-SLEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,473, dated June 27, 1893.

Application filed March 20, 1893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, HENRY G. DAVIS, of Everett, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Railroad-Sleepers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in metallic sleepers for use in the construction of railroads.

The object of the present invention is to provide a metallic sleeper, of such a construction that it maybe firmly embedded in the road-bed and constitute a solid base for the rails to rest upon, the sleeper being at the same time of comparatively light weight, and permitting economy of material in its construction.

A further object is to provide improved means for fastening the rail to the sleeper.

To these ends, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts, which will be described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction for carrying out my invention: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a sleeper constructed in accordance with my invention, the rails appearing in cross-section. Fig. 2 shows a top or plan Fig.3 shows a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of thesleeper and rail. Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of the sleeper, and a side view of the rail and fastening-clip, the section being taken on the line 4-4. of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of an improved form of fasteningclip.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The sleeper is in the form of a hollow castmetal shell,which is rectangular, both in crosssection and longitudinal section, and is open on one of its longitudinal sides. The sleeper thus comprises a top a, sides I) and ends 0, the sides and ends or legs extending at right angles to the top. This construction allows the sleeper to be easily embedded in the roa dbed, so that the material of the road-bed may fill its concavity and surround it on all sides. The top a of the sleeper will thus rest upon Serial No. 466,803- (No model.)

the road-bed and form a solid base to support the rails.

A lug or flange d is formed integral with the top side of the sleeper, and is of form to take over the base-flange e of the rail e and also fit against the web of said rail. A rectangular openingf extends transversely across the top of the sleeper, and has a notch f at the middle of one of its longitudinal sides. A chamber 9 is formed below this opening, and is closed in on all sides, so as to exclude the material of the road-bed which fills the concavity of the sleeper. \Vhen the rail has been placed on the top of the sleeper and its flange engaged under the lug d, it is secured in place by means of a fastening-clip of improved construction, which will now be described. This clip comprises a portion it,

formed to engage the base-flange of the rail;

a flange-like portion h, arranged to extend through the opening f, and provided with a lip 71. to take under the top a of the sleeper; and a portion h which extends over that part of the opening f not occupied by the flange h and thus completely closes said opening. The said portion 71 of the clip is provided with a notch 72 corresponding with the notch f at one side of the opening f. After this fastening-clip has been inserted through the opening f and moved toward the rail, so as to engage itslip h under thetop side of the sleeper, a key 1', having the form of a wedge, is engaged with the notches f and k and then driven downward so that its lower end projects into the chamber g. When this wedge is driven home, the rail will be securely held by the clip and the lug d. The chamber g is a feature of importance, for the reason that it provides a space into which the clip and securing-key or wedge may enter unobstructed by the material of the road-bed.

When the sleeper is to be inserted under rails already laid one of the flanges d should be detachably secured to the sleeper, in. order that it may be removed to permit the endwise movement of the sleeper under the rails, and applied after the sleeper is in place. The said detachable flange may be secured by means similar to those shown for securing the flanges h or by any other suitable means.

When the sleepers are inserted under previously laid rails, a cover or false bottom may be placed on the open side of the sleeper to retain the filling in the sleeper while it is being moved to place under the rails. Said false bottom may be a piece of sheet metal, and may be withdrawn from under the sleeper after the latter has been properly located.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A metallic railroad sleeper consisting of a hollow casting having an integral lug or flange projecting from its upper side and adapted to take over the base-flange of the rail on one side of the web thereof, and an opening in said upper side; a clip, constructed to take over the base-flange of the rail on the opposite side of the web, and to extend over the opening in the top side of the sleeper, and provided with a notch, said clip also provided with a portion which extends down through the said opening and has a lip or flange, to take under the top side of the sleeper; and a key, constructed for insertion through the opening and adapted to engage the notch in the clip.

2. A metallic railroad sleeperconsisting of a hollow casting having an integral lug or flange projecting from its upper side and adapted to take over the base-flange of the rail on one side of the web thereof, and an opening in said upper side, with a notch at one side of said opening; a clip, constructed to takeover the base-flange of the rail on the opposite side of the web, and to extend over the opening in the top side of the sleeper, and provided with a notch, said clip also provided with a portion which extends down through the said opening and has a lip or flange to take under the top side of the sleeper; and a key, arranged to engage the notch in the clip and that at one side of the opening in the top side of the sleeper.

3.- The combination with a metallic railroad sleeper open at one side, of a cover or false bottom adapted to temporarily close said open side, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of March, A. D. 1893.

HENRY G. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, M. W. JAoKsoN. 

